Professional Tool Reviews for Pros

When Milwaukee Tool made the claim that its M18 2848-20 cordless tire inflator was the fastest 18V model on the market, we had to get it in and test it for ourselves. Having used nearly a dozen of these cordless tools already, we’ve found that they all get the job done…but quickly? Not so much. We wanted to put this particular tool to the test on cars, trucks, and even some ranch equipment to see if it could increase the only kind of inflation we like around here.

Right from the start, we knew this was an unusual inflator. For one, it never took more than a minute to top off any of our vehicle tires—even the ones that were down by a considerable percentage. The Milwaukee M18 Cordless Inflator also emits a lower pitch when running than other tire inflators we’ve used. It’s not as hard on the ears. We first tested it out on a combination of passenger vehicles, including cars, trucks, and SUVs from Jeep, Honda, Subaru, and Ford.

Setting the desired pressure involves pressing the + and – buttons on the Milwaukee 2848-20 and then hitting the inflate button on the right to begin. Milwaukee designed their M18 cordless inflator to take readings throughout the tire inflation process. This seems to help it get a more accurate fill. Based on our comparisons using a manual tire pressure gauge—it did a more accurate job of hitting our target PSI numbers by as much as 2 PSI.

After finding it easy and quick to fill up our passenger vehicles, we took the Milwaukee M18 tire inflator to the ranch to pair it with a John Deere tractor. While those tires don’t require a lot of pressure, they do need a bunch of air volume. Unsurprisingly, the Milwaukee 2848-20 tire inflator’s increased filling speed—even with the pauses to re-evaluate pressure—shaves a lot of time off a job filling larger tires like these.

We compared the Milwaukee 2848-20 to the Ryobi P747 dual function inflator and the Ridgid R87044 digital inflator. The test included draining 6 PSI off the tire of a 2015 Ford F150 and then seeing how quickly the inflator could top it off back to 36 PSI. We verified the before and after pressure using a manual dial-style tire gauge.

This really isn’t a complex tool. While it excels in speed it also uses a simplistic interface. You get 4 memory positions which you toggle through using the Memory button under the backlit LCD screen. Use the + and – buttons to set the desired pressure and then hit the inflate button to begin inflating.

I love that, as it works, the tone of this tool isn’t quite as high-pitched as other battery-powered tire inflators. Milwaukee clearly used a larger internal bladder, so it runs at a lower frequency and fills tires more quickly. The auto pressure check feature seems to work really well, and I even liked the design of the brass Schrader chuck. One potential issue is that the number of threads on the Schrader valve caused me to lose a bit more air than I would like when removing it from the valve stem.

You can pick up the Milwaukee 2848-20 M18 cordless tire inflator for around $169 as a bare tool. We’ve seen it as a kit for around $348, but that seems excessive. Get the bare tool or wait for a deal or special.

This product should really appeal to current Milwaukee Tool users. Skip the kit option and just use whatever batteries you have lying around. We tried it with both a 5Ah RedLithium and 8Ah High Output battery. You just get more inflating between charges with a larger pack. Compared to every other 18V tire inflator we’ve used, the Milwaukee is significantly faster. This will especially matter to anyone doing a bunch of remote inflating and wanting a quicker solution. If that was the primary design goal Milwaukee Tool had in mind for this tool, then we say: Mission accomplished.

When he's not remodeling part of his house or playing with the latest power tool, Clint enjoys life as a husband, father, and avid reader. He has a degree in recording engineering and has been involved in multimedia and/or online publishing in one form or another since 1992.

Clint’s career has covered nearly the entire realm of audio and video production. After graduating at the top of his class with an Associates Degree in Recording Engineering, he began working for the famed Soundelux studios in 1994, one of the largest post-production companies specializing in audio for feature films & television. Working on a myriad of feature films, Clint honed his skills as a dialogue editor, foley editor, and sound designer. Years later, he moved into the expanding area of video editing, where he served as the company’s senior AVID video editor for three years.

Working for such clients as Universal Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, NASA, Universal Studios, Planet Hollywood, SEGA, NASCAR, and others, Clint dealt extensively with client management as well as film & video editing, color correction, and digital video & MPEG compression. He also carries several THX certifications (Technician I and II, THX Video), and is ISF Level II Certified.

After founding the CD Media, Inc. publishing company in 1996, he went on to help start or grow several successful online publications, including Audioholics (as Editor-in-Chief for 12 years), Audiogurus, and AV Gadgets. In 2008, Clint founded Pro Tool Reviews followed by the landscape and outdoor power equipment-focused OPE Reviews in 2017. He also heads up the Pro Tool Innovation Awards, an annual awards program honoring innovative tools and accessories across the trades.

Crediting his excellent staff for the success of what is now the largest power tool review publication in the industry, Clint DeBoer hopes to see continued growth for the company as it rapidly expands its reach. Pro Tool Reviews critically reviews hundreds of hand tools, power tools, and accessories each year to help inform users about the best and newest products in the industry. Reaching everyone from the construction industry professional and tradesman to the serious DIYer, Pro Tool Reviews helps tool consumers shop better, work smarter, and stay aware of what tools and products can help put them at the top of their game.

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Professional Tool Reviews for Pros